Goal
The goal of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is to honor and recognize individual work created by Asian Americans and Pasifika, about their experiences, heritages and cultures, based on literary and artistic merit.
To honor the unique needs of Asian American and Pasifika communities, we have established separate eligibility criteria for both groups. For Asian American awards, these include that the narratives reflect experiences of Asian Americans living in North America, and that the author/s and illustrator/s be citizens or residents of North America (including Canada, Mexico, the United States, United States Territories and Freely Associated States).
For Pasifika, we can consider all titles with a Pasifika author, regardless of their citizenship, place of residence, or location of publisher. Pasifika peoples are united by their oceanic history of common ancestors, languages, and cultures; including their relationships to water, and migration. Pasifika communities have been impacted by a range of colonizing forces, including the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom – but colonization is a relatively recent phenomenon in our long history, and oppression does not take precedence in how we relate to one another.
In implementing more holistic award eligibility for Pasifika, we also acknowledge that Pasifika have fewer publishing opportunities than other populations, and are often best supported by publishers outside of North America. Eligible Pasifika titles will continue to be reviewed as rigorously as their Asian American counterparts.
Award
Winners of the awards will be announced in January 2026, on the APALA website, via the APALA electronic mailing list and as part of the Youth Media Awards Ceremony. Winners of the APALA Literature Award will receive a plaque during the 2026 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.
General Eligibility
1. The six award categories are:
● Adult Fiction
● Adult Non-Fiction
● Young Adult Literature
● Children’s Literature
● Picture Books
● Poetry
2. Each award as noted above will be given to two sub-categories – Asian American and Pasifika works. Each sub-category will include one award winner and up to 2 honor titles.
3. Eligible works must have had premiere publication from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025 and must have been published primarily in English. Although the criteria for works by Asian Americans includes that they must be published and authored by individuals living in North America, works by Pasifika will be considered regardless of where they are published and where the author/s live.
4. Works must be related to Asian American or Canadian/Pasifika experiences or Asian American or Canadian/Pasifika cultures.
5. Works must be written and illustrated by creators of Asian American, Asian Canadian or Pasifika heritage. Asian American or Canadian creators should have resident status in either the United States or Canada. In the Picture Book category, if the illustrator is not of Asian American, Asian Canadian or Pasifika heritage, the book is ineligible for consideration.
6. If the work is written by more than one author, at least one of the authors must be of Asian American, Asian Canadian or Pasifika heritage.
7. Works must have been published in the United States or one of its territories or Canada. Self-published works and exclusive Internet publications are not eligible.
8. For fiction titles, anthologies or books containing the work of more than one author are not eligible, unless all contributors are of Asian American, Asian Canadian or Pasifika heritage.
9. Works must be originally written in English.
10. Works that have previously won other prizes or recognition are eligible.
11. If no books are found to meet the selection criteria, no award will be given.
12. Graphic Novels will be eligible for consideration in Adult Fiction, Young Adult/Youth or Children’s Literature: please determine which committee is appropriate to submit.
Eligibility – Pacific Islander Works
1. Works must be related to Pasifika characters or concepts. Narratives relevant to all Pasifika communities will be considered, whether depicted on their traditional lands or living in diaspora.
2. Works must be written by authors of Pasifika descent. If the book is a collaboration with multiple writers, illustrators, or editors, at least 50% of lead creators (i.e., authors/editors/illustrators credited on cover) must be of Pasifika descent. This includes anthologies.
3. In acknowledgement of the ongoing impact of colonization and our shared kinship across Oceania, Pasifika of any citizenship or residence may be considered for the award.
4. In acknowledgement of the ongoing impact of colonization and our shared kinship across Oceania, Pasifika-authored books are eligible for consideration regardless of where their publisher is based.
5. All works must be original to the author and/or illustrator.
6. All works must be published in physical format, but review copies to the jury may be digital as long as it is in final form. Exclusive internet publications are not eligible.
7. Self-published works are not eligible for consideration.
8. If no books meet the selection criteria, no award will be given.
Entry of Works
1. Titles for consideration may be suggested via the online submission form by August 31, 2025 to be considered for award in January. Entries may be submitted by an author, publisher, agent, publicist, or individual. Entries that are created by and highlight the experiences of underrepresented Asian American and Pasifika communities are especially encouraged.
2. Publishers are encouraged to send a review copy to each jury member in the appropriate category, as well as the Award Administration Committee Co-Chair(s). Please contact LitAwards@apalaweb.org for the jury rosters.
3. If publishers do not send review copies, this does not exclude titles from consideration. It is the responsibility of the jury to make other arrangements via the Administration Committee to review nominated titles.
4. For fullest consideration, submissions must be received by the juries and co-chairs by August 31, 2025 to be considered for the awards announced in January 2026.
5. For fullest consideration, review copies must be received by September 30, 2025 to be considered for the awards announced in January 2026.
6. APALA’s Literature Award Committee is not responsible for lost submissions.
7. APALA’s Literature Award Committee has the right to determine the eligibility of a particular work.
8. An author, publisher, publicist or agent may submit more than one entry per author, but no more than one entry per work.
9. Currently, self-published titles are not eligible for the award and for privacy reasons, we do not share our volunteer jury members’ contact information with creators directly.
Please note that review copies will not be returned.
For questions related to the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature, contact litawards[at]apalaweb.org